Start Your Herb Garden: Selection, Soil, Harvest, and Storage

Why an Herb Garden?

Less work than vegetables, constant fresh flavor, grocery savings. Here's your complete starter guide.

Step 1: Choose Your Herbs

Audit your spice cabinet. Plant what you USE. Top starters: rosemary, sage, basil, dill, mint, chives, parsley.

Step 2: Perfect Drainage

Soggy soil kills herbs. Fix: Dig 1 ft deep, layer crushed rock, refill soil. Water escapes, roots breathe.

Step 3: Seeds Over Plants

Herbs grow easily from seed—save bundles. Exception: mint spreads aggressively. CONTAIN IT in pots with drainage holes.

Step 4: Patient Harvesting

• WAIT until plant is established (several months).
• Never strip a young plant.
• Patience = years of production.

Step 5: Drying for Kitchen Use

Cookie sheet, 170°F, 2–4 hours. Cool, then store.

Step 6: Proper Storage

• Plastic or GLASS containers only (paper/cardboard absorbs oils).
• Check daily for moisture first week—re-dry if needed.
• Moisture = mold. Prevent it.

Ongoing Joy

Initial setup effort → endless harvest cycles. Fresh herbs from YOUR garden transform cooking. Start this season.